Smoking article tipping paper coated with functional material and method of coating the tipping paper

ABSTRACT

According to an embodiment of the present disclosure, there is provided a smoking article including a smoking material portion which is wrapped with a smoking material wrapper, a filter portion which has an upstream end combined with the smoking material portion and is wrapped with a filter wrapper, and a tipping paper which is wrapped around at least a partial region of the smoking material portion and the filter portion so that the smoking material portion and the filter portion are combined, wherein the tipping paper is coated with an overprint (OP) coating solution in which at least one functional material and an OP auxiliary agent which enhances the solubility of the at least one functional material are added to an OP ink.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present disclosure relates to a smoking article tipping paper and a method of coating the same, and more particularly, to a tipping paper coated with a functional material for providing various tastes, reducing off-flavor, reducing harmful bacteria, reducing bad breath, and the like during smoking and a method of coating the tipping paper.

BACKGROUND ART

Generally, in order to manufacture a cigarette, first, various kinds of tobacco materials such as tobacco leaves and reconstituted tobacco leaves are mixed and processed, wrapped with cigarette paper, and then attached to a filter. The filter is connected to a smoking material portion, which is filled with the tobacco materials, using tipping paper, and generally, an overprint (OP) coating or overprint varnish (OPV) process is performed on a surface of the tipping paper for a printing process and prevention of removal of an ink printed using the printing process.

Since the tipping paper is a portion coming in contact with an oral region of a user during smoking, specific components in a solution used in the printing process or OP coating may cause problems such as the occurrence of off-flavor during smoking. Various studies have been conducted to address such problems, but when components of a printing solution or OP coating solution are indiscreetly changed or added, additional problems such as cell clogging of a printing cylinder, curling of the tipping paper, set-off of ink during printing, or removal of the printed ink may occur.

DISCLOSURE Technical Problem

The present disclosure is directed to providing a tipping paper and a method of coating the same capable of simultaneously minimizing an off-flavor and providing various tastes and functions during smoking without the occurrence of removal of an ink printed on the tipping paper.

Objectives of the present disclosure are not limited to the above-mentioned objectives, and other unmentioned objectives should be clearly understood by those of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains from the description below.

Technical Solution

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a smoking article including a smoking material portion which is wrapped with a smoking material wrapper, a filter portion which has an upstream end combined with the smoking material portion and is wrapped with a filter wrapper, and a tipping paper which is wrapped around at least a partial region of the smoking material portion and the filter portion so that the smoking material portion and the filter portion are combined, wherein the tipping paper is coated with an overprint (OP) coating solution in which at least one functional material and an OP auxiliary agent which enhances the solubility of the at least one functional material are added to an OP ink.

In some embodiments, a weight ratio of the OP ink to the OP auxiliary agent in the tipping paper may be in a range of 1:2 to 2:1, and a weight ratio of the at least one functional material to the OP ink or the OP auxiliary agent in the tipping paper may be in a range of 1:1.5 to 1:600.

Meanwhile, the at least one functional material may include at least one of a sweetener material and a harmful bacteria/bad breath reduction material. For example, the sweetener material may include at least one of sucralose, citric acid, cinnamon, dark chocolate, and malic acid, and the harmful bacteria/bad breath reduction material may include at least one of rosemary oil, grapefruit seed extract, sucralose, and malic acid.

Preferably, the at least one functional material may consist of any one of malic acid, sucralose, rosemary oil, grapefruit seed extract, and a mixture of malic acid and sucralose.

Specifically, the at least one functional material may consist of malic acid, and a weight ratio of the malic acid to the OP ink or the OP auxiliary agent in the tipping paper may be in a range of 1:2 to 1:25. Preferably, the weight ratio of the malic acid to the OP ink or the OP auxiliary agent in the tipping paper may be in a range of 1:7 to 1:12.

Alternatively, the at least one functional material may consist of any one of sucralose, rosemary oil, and grapefruit seed extract, and a weight ratio of the functional material to the OP ink or the OP auxiliary agent in the tipping paper may be in a range of 1:2 to 1:25. Preferably, the weight ratio of the functional material to the OP ink or the OP auxiliary agent in the tipping paper may be in a range of 1:3 to 1:10.

Further, the at least one functional material may consist of the mixture of malic acid and sucralose, a weight ratio of the mixture of the malic acid and sucralose to the OP ink or the OP auxiliary agent in the tipping paper may be in a range of 1:2 to 1:12, and a weight ratio of the malic acid to the sucralose in the tipping paper may be in a range of 1:0.006 to 1:1.25. Preferably, the weight ratio of the malic acid to the sucralose in the tipping paper may be in a range of 1:0.1 to 1:0.3.

Some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a smoking article wrapper which is coated with an OP coating solution in which at least one functional material and an OP auxiliary agent which enhances the solubility of the at least one functional material are added to an OP ink. Preferably, the smoking article wrapper may be a smoking article tipping paper which is configured to be wrapped around a smoking article filter portion and at least part of a smoking material portion of an smoking article such that the smoking material portion and the smoking article filter portion are combined.

Also, some embodiments of the present disclosure provide a method of coating a tipping paper, the method including preparing an OP coating solution in which at least one functional material and an OP auxiliary agent which enhances the solubility of the at least one functional material are added to an OP ink, and coating a surface of the tipping paper with the OP coating solution.

In some embodiments, the at least one functional material may include a first functional material in the form of powder and a second functional material in the form of oil, and in the preparing of the OP coating solution, the first functional material in the form of powder and the second functional material in the form of oil may be sequentially dissolved in the OP coating solution.

Advantageous Effects

According to a tipping paper according to embodiments of the present disclosure, it is possible to, while preventing the removal of printed ink, minimize the occurrence of an off-flavor and provide various tastes during smoking by using a functional material contained in a coating solution, thereby improving sensory characteristics of smoking.

Further, a harmful bacteria/bad breath reduction material can be included in the functional material, and an effect of reducing microorganisms in the oral cavity of a user can also be manifested when the oral region of the user comes in contact with the tipping paper.

Also, when one or more materials of malic acid and sucralose are included in the functional material, in addition to reducing an off-flavor, enhancing taste satisfaction, and reducing harmful bacteria as described above, an effect of reducing the bad breath of the smoker can also be secured.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an exemplary configuration of a smoking article including a tipping paper coated with a functional material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart exemplarily illustrating a method of coating tipping paper according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

FIG. 3 shows pictures that allow visual inspection of the reduction of harmful bacteria in Comparative Example 1 and Examples 2 and 4.

FIGS. 4 to 7 show test reports relating to Examples 2, 4, 5, 14, and 15.

Modes of the Invention

Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present disclosure will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Advantages and features of the present disclosure and a method of achieving the same should become clear with embodiments described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. However, the present disclosure is not limited to embodiments disclosed below and may be implemented in various different forms. The embodiments make the disclosure of the present disclosure complete and are provided to completely inform one of ordinary skill in the art to which the present disclosure pertains of the scope of the disclosure. The present disclosure is defined only by the scope of the claims. Like reference numerals refer to like elements throughout.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms including technical or scientific terms used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill in the art to which the disclosure pertains. Terms, such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, are not to be construed in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expressly so defined herein.

Also, in the specification, a singular expression includes a plural expression unless the context clearly indicates otherwise. The terms “comprises” and/or “comprising” used herein do not preclude the presence or addition of one or more elements, steps, operations, and/or devices other than those mentioned.

Terms including ordinals such as “first” and “second” used herein may be used to describe various elements, but the elements are not limited by the terms. The terms are only used for the purpose of distinguishing one element from another element.

Throughout the specification, the term “smoking article” may refer to anything capable of generating an aerosol, such as tobacco (cigarette) and cigars. The smoking article may include an aerosol-generating material or an aerosol-forming substrate. Also, the smoking article may include a solid material based on tobacco raw materials, such as a reconstituted tobacco sheet, shredded tobacco, and reconstituted tobacco. A smoking material may include a volatile compound.

FIG. 1 is a view illustrating an exemplary configuration of a smoking article including a tipping paper coated with a functional material according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

In the specification, a case in which a smoking article 100 is a combustion type cigarette is described as an example. However, the present disclosure is not limited thereto, and the smoking article 100 may also be a heating type cigarette or the like that is used together with an aerosol generation device (not illustrated) such as an electronic cigarette device.

Referring to FIG. 1 , the smoking article 100 may include a filter portion 110 wrapped with a filter wrapper 110 a, a smoking material portion 120 wrapped with a smoking material wrapper 120 a, and a tipping paper 130 configured to combine the filter portion 110 and the smoking material portion 120.

The filter portion 110 may be disposed downstream of the smoking material portion 120 and may be a region through which an aerosol material generated in the smoking material portion 120 passes right before being inhaled by the user.

The filter portion 110 may be formed of various materials. For example, the filter portion 110 may be a cellulose acetate filter. The filter portion 110 may be a cellulose acetate filter not flavored with a flavoring material or may be a transfer jet nozzle system (TJNS) filter flavored with a flavoring material.

In some embodiments, the filter portion 110 may be a tubular structure including a hollow formed therein. The filter portion 110 may also be manufactured by inserting structures such as films or tubes formed of the same or different materials thereinto (for example, into the hollow).

The filter portion 110 according to the embodiment is illustrated as a mono filter formed of a single filter, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto. For example, the filter portion 110 may, of course, be provided as a dual filter which includes two acetate filters, a triple filter, or the like in order to increase filter efficiency.

Further, although not illustrated, a crushable capsule (not illustrated), which has a structure in which a liquid filled therein including a flavoring is wrapped with a film, may be included inside the filter portion 110.

The filter portion 110 may be disposed downstream of the smoking material portion 120 and serve as a filter through which an aerosol material generated in the smoking material portion 120 passes right before being inhaled by the user.

The filter portion 110 may be wrapped with the filter wrapper 110 a. The filter wrapper 110 a may be manufactured using grease-resistant wrapping paper, and an aluminum foil may be further included at an inner surface of the filter wrapper 110 a.

The smoking material portion 120 may be filled with raw tobacco leaves, reconstituted tobacco leaves, or a mixture of tobacco leaves and reconstituted tobacco leaves. The mixture may be filled in the form of a sheet or shredded tobacco in the smoking material portion 120. The smoking material portion 120 may have the form of an elongated rod which may have various lengths, circumferences, and diameters. Also, the smoking material portion 120 may include at least one aerosol-generating material among glycerin, propylene glycol, ethylene glycol, dipropylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, tetraethylene glycol, and oleyl alcohol. Also, the smoking material portion 120 may contain other additives such as a flavoring agent, a wetting agent, and/or an acetate compound.

The smoking material portion 120 may be wrapped with the smoking material wrapper 120 a. The smoking material wrapper 120 a may have a double wrapping paper structure. Further, the smoking material wrapper 120 a may be low ignition propensity (LIP) cigarette paper having one or more LIP bands (not illustrated) formed therein.

The filter portion 110 wrapped with the filter wrapper 110 a and the smoking material portion 120 wrapped with the smoking material wrapper 120 a may be wrapped together by the tipping paper 130. That is, the tipping paper 130 may wrap around at least a portion (for example, a partial downstream region) of the smoking material wrapper 120 a and an outer periphery of the filter wrapper 110 a. In other words, at least a portion of the smoking material portion 120 and the filter portion 110 may be further wrapped and physically combined by the tipping paper 130.

The tipping paper 130 may also include an incombustible material to prevent combustion of the filter portion 110.

In some embodiments, the tipping paper 130 may be manufactured using nonporous wrapping paper not treated to be grease-resistant, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

Meanwhile, an overprint (OP) coating layer configured to prevent the removal of an ink printed in a printing process may be provided on a surface of the tipping paper 130, and in some cases, an off-flavor may be expressed during smoking due to a specific component in the printed ink or the OP coating layer.

Thus, in order to minimize the off-flavor expression problem and provide various tastes and functions, the OP coating layer formed on the surface of the tipping paper 130 according to embodiments of the present disclosure may contain at least one functional material that consists of a sweetener material and/or a harmful bacteria/bad breath reduction material.

Specifically, the surface (that is, an outer side surface coming in contact with the oral region of a user) of the tipping paper 130 may be coated with an OP coating solution in which at least one functional material and an OP auxiliary agent which enhances the solubility of the at least one functional material are added to an oil-based OP ink.

Meanwhile, the OP ink may consist of a combination of nitrocellulose, polyamide, isopropyl alcohol (IPA), ethyl acetate, and the like, and the OP auxiliary agent may consist of a combination of IPA, ethyl acetate, propyl acetate, and the like, but of course the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

In some embodiments, the functional material coated on the tipping paper 130 may include at least one of a sweetener material and a harmful bacteria/bad breath reduction material. The sweetener material may be coated on the tipping paper 130 to provide various tastes, such as a sweet taste, a bitter taste, a salty taste, and a sour taste, to a user when the oral region of the user comes in contact with the tipping paper 130, and the harmful bacteria/bad breath reduction material may serve to reduce microorganisms in the oral cavity of the user.

Preferably, the sweetener material may include at least one of sucralose, citric acid, cinnamon, dark chocolate, and malic acid, and the harmful bacteria/bad breath reduction material may include at least one of rosemary oil, grapefruit seed extract, sucralose, and malic acid. More preferably, the functional material may consist of any one of malic acid, sucralose, rosemary oil, grapefruit seed extract, or a mixture of malic acid and sucralose.

In particular, among the functional materials listed above, sucralose and malic acid may, in addition to serving as a sweetener, have a bad breath reduction effect and a harmful bacteria reduction effect as will be described below with reference to smoking sensory evaluation, bad breath evaluation, and harmful bacteria reduction test.

FIG. 2 is a flowchart exemplarily illustrating a method of coating tipping paper according to some embodiments of the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the method of coating the tipping paper may include preparing an OP coating solution in which at least one functional material and an OP auxiliary agent which enhances the solubility of the at least one functional material are added to an OP ink (S10), and coating a surface of the tipping paper with the OP coating solution (S20).

In the preparing of the OP coating solution (S10), the OP ink and OP auxiliary agent may be mixed in a weight ratio in a range of about 1:2 to 2:1. For example, the amount of OP ink and the amount of OP auxiliary agent may have a ratio of about 1:1, but the present disclosure is not limited thereto.

The OP coating solution may include about 0.1 wt% to 20 wt% functional material. Also, a weight ratio of the functional material to the OP ink (or OP auxiliary agent) in the OP coating solution may be in a range of about 1:1.5 to 1:600, or, preferably, in a range of about 1:2 to 1:500.

Meanwhile, in order to secure the effects of the above-described functional materials while addressing problems such as cell clogging of a printing cylinder, curling of the tipping paper, set-off of a printed ink, or removal of the printed ink that may occur in the process of coating the tipping paper with the OP coating solution to which the functional materials are added, the amount of functional material added into the OP coating solution may vary according to the type of functional material. Table 1 below shows composition ratios of OP coating solutions appropriate for each functional material. [0061]

TABLE 1 Functional material Added amount OP ink OP auxiliary agent Cinnamon oil 0.1-2% 49.95-49% 49.95-49% Dark chocolate 0.1-3% 49.95-48.5% 49.95-48.5% Sucralose (powder) 0.1-10% 49.95-45% 49.95-45% Catechin (powder) 1-10% 49.5-45% 49.5-45% Malic acid (powder) 0.1-20% 49.95-40% 49.95-40% Citric acid (powder) 0.1-20% 49.95-40% 49.95-40% Grapefruit seed extract 1-20% 49.5-40% 49.5-40% Ecklonia cava extract 1-20% 49.5-40% 49.5-40% Cypress oil 1-20% 49.5-40% 49.5-40% Rosemary oil 1-20% 49.5-40% 49.5-40%

More specifically, when malic acid is added as the functional material, a weight ratio of malic acid to the OP ink (or OP auxiliary agent) in the OP coating solution for coating the tipping paper may be in a range of about 1:2 to 1:25 or may be, preferably, in a range of about 1:7 to 1:12 (for example, about 1:9.5). That is, in an example in which the OP ink and OP auxiliary agent are added in a ratio of 1:1, about 0.1% to 20% malic acid, preferably, about 2% to 8% malic acid, or more preferably, about 4% to 7% (for example, 5%) malic acid may be added into the OP coating solution. When grapefruit seed extract is added as the functional material, a weight ratio of grapefruit seed extract to the OP ink (or OP auxiliary agent) added into the OP coating solution for coating the tipping paper may be in a range of about 1:2 to 1:25 or may be, preferably, in a range of about 1:3 to 1:10 (for example, about 1:6.6). That is, in an example in which the OP ink and OP auxiliary agent are added in a ratio of 1:1, about 0.1% to 20% grapefruit seed extract, preferably, about 3% to 11% grapefruit seed extract, or more preferably, about 5% to 14% (for example, 7%) grapefruit seed extract may be added into the OP coating solution.

Meanwhile, when the grapefruit seed extract is added as the functional material, the tipping paper 130 coated with the functional material may contain at least one or more of ascorbic acid, tocopherol, palmitic acid, an amino acid, glucose, naringin, and citral as active components.

In order to maximize the harmful bacteria reduction effect, preferably, a mixture of malic acid and sucralose is added as the functional material. In this case, a weight ratio of the mixture of malic acid and sucralose to the OP ink (or OP auxiliary agent) in the OP coating solution for coating the tipping paper may be in a range of about 1:2 to 1:25 or may be, preferably, in a range of about 1:5 to 1:10 (for example, about 1:7.8). That is, in an example in which the ratio of the OP ink to OP auxiliary agent is 1:1, about 0.1% to 20% of a mixture of malic acid and sucralose, or preferably, about 4% to 9% (for example, about 6%) of a mixture of malic acid and sucralose may be added into the OP coating solution.

More specifically, a weight ratio of malic acid to sucralose in the mixture of malic acid and sucralose may be in a range of about 1:0.006 to 1:1.25 or may be, preferably, in a range of about 1:0.1 to 1:0.3. That is, about 4% to 15% malic acid and about 0.1% to 5% sucralose (for example, about 5% malic acid and about 1% sucralose) may be contained in the OP coating solution.

When the coating (S20) is performed by utilizing the OP coating solution to which the above-described functional materials are added in the above-mentioned composition ratios, while faithfully securing the unique roles of the OP coating layer, such as preventing the removal of ink from the surface of the tipping paper and preventing the tipping paper from sticking to the user’s lips, it is possible to obtain more favourable sensory characteristics and reduce the harmful bacteria and bad breath.

Meanwhile, in some embodiments, a first functional material in the form of powder and a second functional material in the form of oil may be added into the OP coating solution.

In this case, the first functional material in the form of powder and the second functional material in the form of oil may be sequentially dissolved in the OP coating solution.

Preferably, in order to maximize the solubility of the first functional material in the form of powder and the second functional material in the form of oil, the first functional material in the form of powder may be added to the OP coating solution first, and after it is sufficiently dissolved therein, then the second functional material in the form of oil may be added into and dissolved in the OP coating solution.

Hereinafter, the configurations of the present disclosure and the advantageous effects according thereto will be described in more detail using examples and comparative examples. However, the examples are merely for describing the present disclosure in more detail, and the scope of the present disclosure is not limited by the examples.

Example 1

A tipping paper of a regular cigarette manufactured for testing of examples was coated with an OP coating solution consisting of about 1.5% malic acid, about 49.25% OP ink, and about 49.25% OP auxiliary agent.

Example 2

A cigarette identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured except that an OP coating solution consisting of about 5.0% malic acid, about 47.5% OP ink, and about 47.5% OP auxiliary agent was used.

Example 3

A cigarette identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured except that an OP coating solution consisting of about 1.0% grapefruit seed extract, about 49.5% OP ink, and about 49.5% OP auxiliary agent was used.

Example 4

A cigarette identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured except that an OP coating solution consisting of about 7.0% grapefruit seed extract, about 46.5% OP ink, and about 46.5% OP auxiliary agent was used.

Example 5

A cigarette identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured except that an OP coating solution consisting of about 5.0% malic acid, about 0.9% sucralose, about 47.05% OP ink, and about 47.05% OP auxiliary agent was used.

Example 6

A cigarette identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured except that an OP coating solution consisting of about 0.5% sucralose, about 49.75% OP ink, and about 49.75% OP auxiliary agent was used.

Example 7

A cigarette identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured except that an OP coating solution consisting of about 2.0% sucralose, about 49.0% OP ink, and about 49.0% OP auxiliary agent was used.

Example 8

A cigarette identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured except that an OP coating solution consisting of about 0.5% citric acid, about 49.75% OP ink, and about 49.75 % OP auxiliary agent was used.

Example 9

A cigarette identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured except that an OP coating solution consisting of about 2.0% citric acid, about 49.0% OP ink, and about 49.0% OP auxiliary agent was used.

Example 10

A cigarette identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured except that an OP coating solution consisting of about 0.1% cinnamon oil, about 49.95% OP ink, and about 49.95% OP auxiliary agent was used.

Example 11

A cigarette identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured except that an OP coating solution consisting of about 0.3% cinnamon oil, about 49.85% OP ink, and about 49.85% OP auxiliary agent was used.

Example 12

A cigarette identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured except that an OP coating solution consisting of about 0.1% dark chocolate flavor, about 49.95% OP ink, and about 49.95% OP auxiliary agent was used.

Example 13

A cigarette identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured except that an OP coating solution consisting of about 1.5% dark chocolate flavor, about 49.25% OP ink, and about 49.25% OP auxiliary agent was used.

Example 14

A cigarette identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured except that an OP coating solution consisting of about 5.0% rosemary oil, about 47.5% OP ink, and about 47.5% OP auxiliary agent was used.

Example 15

A cigarette identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured except that an OP coating solution consisting of about 5.0% sucralose, about 47.5% OP ink, and about 47.5% OP auxiliary agent was used.

Comparative Example 1

A cigarette identical to that of Example 1 was manufactured except that an OP coating solution consisting of about 50.0% OP ink and about 50.0% OP auxiliary agent was used.

Experimental Example 1: Sensory Evaluation of Smoking According to Coating With Functional Materials

In order to confirm the improvement of sensory characteristics according to coating with functional materials, sensory evaluation was carried out with respect to satisfaction with taste other than tobacco taste, smoothness of throat-hitting sensation, and off-taste, for each of the examples and the comparative example. The sensory evaluation was randomly carried out once per day for four days by a panel of thirty evaluators using each of the cigarettes manufactured according to the examples and the comparative example, based on a scale of 7 points.

Table 2 below shows results of sensory evaluation of the smoking articles manufactured according to Comparative Example 1 and Examples 1 to 15.

TABLE 2 Classification Satisfaction with taste other than tobacco taste Smoothness of throat-hitting sensation Off-taste No. Coating material Coated amount (%) Comparative Example 1 - 0 3.5 4.0 4.4 Example 1 Malic acid 1.5 4.2 4.2 3.8 Example 2 5.0 5.3 4.5 3.5 Example 3 Grapefruit seed extract 1.0 4.4 4.2 4.0 Example 4 7.0 4.2 4.2 3.8 Example 5 Malic acid + Sucralose 5.0+0.9 5.2 4.3 3.4 Example 6 Sucralose 0.5 4.2 4.3 3.8 Example 7 2.0 5.0 4.3 3.5 Example 8 Citric acid 0.5 4.3 4.2 4.0 Example 9 2.0 4.5 4.3 3.6 Example 10 Cinnamon oil 0.1 4.4 4.4 4.0 Example 11 0.3 4.7 4.3 3.8 Example 12 Dark chocolate 0.1 4.2 4.2 4.0 Example 13 1.5 4.9 4.5 3.7 Example 14 Rosemary oil 5.0 4.3 4.1 3.7 Example 15 Sucralose 5.0 4.8 4.3 3.6

As shown in Table 2, in all of the cigarettes of Examples 1 to 15, the taste satisfaction and smoothness of throat-hitting sensation were higher and the off-taste was reduced as compared to the cigarette of comparative Example 1. Specifically, the taste satisfaction, which relates to the taste generated when the oral region of a user comes in contact with the tipping paper, was found to be especially higher in Example 2 in which malic acid was coated, Example 5 in which malic acid and sucralose were coated, Example 7 in which sucralose was coated, Example 11 in which cinnamon oil was coated, Example 13 in which dark chocolate flavor was coated, and Example 15 in which 5.0% sucralose was coated. The smoothness of throat-hitting sensation caused by mainstream smoke was found to be higher in Example 2 in which malic acid was coated and Example 10 in which cinnamon oil was coated. The off-flavor reduction effect was found to be higher in Example 2 in which malic acid was coated, Example 5 in which malic acid and sucralose were coated, Example 7 in which sucralose was coated, Example 9 in which citric acid was coated, and Example 15 in which 5.0% sucralose was coated.

Meanwhile, Example 2 in which 5% malic acid was coated and Example 5 in which 5% malic acid and 0.9% sucralose were coated were found to be the best in all the evaluation items as compared to the other examples. Thus, it was confirmed that the cigarettes according to Examples 2 and 5 are the most advantageous in terms of the sensory characteristics of smoking.

Experimental Example 2: Evaluation of Bad Breath Reduction Characteristic According to Coating With Functional Materials

In order to confirm the effectiveness of reducing bad breath according to coating with functional materials, breaths were collected and analyzed for each of Examples 1 to 4 and Comparative Example 1.

Breath collection was performed on a total of five smokers four times for each example while an interval between the collections was set as thirty minutes. The breaths were collected after each smoker kept his or her mouth closed for two minutes after smoking a cigarette. The collected breaths were sampled in a 3-L Tedlar bag, and then thermal desorber/gas chromatography (TD/GC) analysis using a pulsed flame photometric detector (PFPD) was performed thereon.

The analysis was performed for hydrogen sulfide (H₂S), methyl mercaptan (MM), dimethyl sulfide (DMS), and dimethyl disulfide (DMDS) which are major components that cause bad breath. However, DMDS was omitted from Table 3 below because it was detected at concentrations lower than a threshold, thus causing difficulty in deriving statistically significant results.

Table 3 shows a median value, a value obtained by dividing the median value by a threshold index (TI), and an increase/decrease rate (%) of each component, which is calculated according to the median value and the value obtained by dividing the median value by the TI, for each component according to different examples.

TABLE 3 Classification H₂S MM DMS Median value Median value/TI Increase/ decrease (%) / Median value Median value/TI Increase/ decrease (%) Median value Median value/TI Increase/ decrease (%) Comparative Example 1 0.44 1.1 - 2.08 29.7 - 5.77 1.9 - Example 1 (1.5% malic acid) 0.45 1.13 2.7 1.83 26.1 -12.1 5.96 1.96 3.3 Example 2 (5% malic acid) 0.45 1.13 2.5 1.95 27.8 -6.4 5.86 1.93 1.5 Example 3 (1% grapefruit seed extract) 0.27 0.69 -37.7 1.72 24.62 -17.1 5.21 1.72 -9.7 Example 4 (7% grapefruit seed extract) 0.36 0.89 -19.2 1.65 23.49 -20.9 5.84 1.92 1.2

As shown in Table 3, the components causing bad breath generally decreased in all of the examples. Specifically, in Examples 1 and 2 in which malic acid was used, although an effect of decreasing H₂S and DMS was substantially not found, a decrease in MM to a statistically significant degree was confirmed.

Considering the general tendency that lower TI makes higher contribution to the occurrence of bad breath (TI of MM, H₂S and DMS are 0.07 ppb, 0.4 ppb, and 3.0 ppb, respectively), coating with malic acid, which is confirmed to substantially decrease MM only, is also expected to substantially reduce bad breath.

Meanwhile, in the cases of Examples 3 and 4 in which grapefruit seed extract was coated, all the bad breath-causing components tended to generally decrease. In particular, H₂S and MM significantly decreased, and thus it was confirmed that coating the tipping paper with sucralose or grapefruit seed extract is the best in terms of the bad breath reduction effect.

Experimental Example 3: Result of Harmful Bacteria Reduction Test According to Coating with Functional Materials

In order to evaluate a harmful bacteria reduction effect for each example, a test for a decrease rate of Streptococcus mutans present in the oral cavity for each example has been conducted by Korea Standard Test Researcher (KSTR), and results of the test are summarized in Table 4 below. FIG. 3 shows pictures that allow visual inspection of the reduction of harmful bacteria in Comparative Example 1 and Examples 2 and 4, and FIGS. 4 to 7 show test reports relating to Examples 2, 4, 5, 14, and 15.

Meanwhile, in the test, Streptococcus mutans was absorbed into the tipping paper coated with each of the functional materials and then was collected and cultured, and a decrease rate of Streptococcus mutans as compared to the control tipping paper not coated with the functional materials was measured.

TABLE 4 Classification Decrease rate No. Coating material Coated amount Example 2 Malic acid 5.0% 80.1% Example 4 Grapefruit seed extract 7.0% 50.2% Example 5 Malic acid + Sucralose 5.0%+0.9% 98.1% Example 14 Rosemary oil 5.0% 44.0% Example 15 Sucralose 5.0% 64.7%

Referring to Table 4 and FIGS. 3 to 7 together, it can be seen that, in all of Examples 2, 4, 5, 14, and 15, the decrease rate of Streptococcus mutans was high. Specifically, in the case of Example 2 in which 5% malic acid was coated, the decrease rate of Streptococcus mutans was about 80%, the decrease rate was about 50% in Example 4 in which 7% grapefruit seed extract was coated, the decrease rate was about 44% in Example 14 in which 5% rosemary oil was coated, and the decrease rate was about 65% in Example 15 in which 5% sucralose was coated. In particular, in the case of Example 5 in which 5% malic acid and 0.9% sucralose were coated, the decrease rate was about 98%, and thus it was confirmed that the cigarette according to Example 5 is the best in terms of reducing harmful bacteria.

Through the above results, an effect of reducing harmful bacteria may be expected for bacteria present in the oral cavity, when the tipping paper coated with the above-described functional materials come in contact with the user’s lips.

Those of ordinary skill in the art related to the present embodiments should understand that the present disclosure may be implemented in modified forms within the scope not departing from essential characteristics of the above description. Therefore, the methods disclosed herein should be considered as illustrative rather than limiting. The scope of the present disclosure is defined by the claims below rather than by the above description, and all differences within the scope equivalent to the claims should be interpreted as falling within the scope of the present disclosure. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A smoking article comprising: a smoking material portion which is wrapped with a smoking material wrapper; a filter portion which has an upstream end combined with the smoking material portion and is wrapped with a filter wrapper; and a tipping paper which is wrapped around the filter portion and at least part of the smoking material portion such that the smoking material portion and the filter portion are combined, wherein the tipping paper is coated with an overprint (OP) coating solution in which at least one functional material and an OP auxiliary agent which enhances solubility of the at least one functional material are added to an OP ink.
 2. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein: a weight ratio of the OP ink to the OP auxiliary agent in the tipping paper is in a range of 1:2 to 2:1; and a weight ratio of the at least one functional material to the OP ink or the OP auxiliary agent in the tipping paper is in a range of 1:1.5 to 1:600.
 3. The smoking article of claim 1, wherein the at least one functional material includes at least one of a sweetener material and a harmful bacteria/bad breath reduction material.
 4. The smoking article of claim 3, wherein: the sweetener material includes at least one of sucralose, citric acid, cinnamon, dark chocolate, and malic acid; and the harmful bacteria/bad breath reduction material includes at least one of rosemary oil, grapefruit seed extract, the sucralose, and the malic acid.
 5. The smoking article of claim 4, wherein the at least one functional material consists of any one of the malic acid, the sucralose, the rosemary oil, the grapefruit seed extract, and a mixture of the malic acid and sucralose.
 6. The smoking article of claim 5, wherein the at least one functional material consists of the malic acid, and a weight ratio of the malic acid to the OP ink or the OP auxiliary agent in the tipping paper is in a range of 1:2 to 1:25.
 7. The smoking article of claim 6, wherein the weight ratio of the malic acid to the OP ink or the OP auxiliary agent in the tipping paper is in a range of 1:7 to 1:12.
 8. The smoking article of claim 5, wherein the at least one functional material consists of any one of the sucralose, the rosemary oil, and the grapefruit seed extract, and a weight ratio of the functional material to the OP ink or the OP auxiliary agent in the tipping paper is in a range of 1:2 to 1:25.
 9. The smoking article of claim 8, wherein the weight ratio of the functional material to the OP ink or the OP auxiliary agent in the tipping paper is in a range of 1:3 to 1:10.
 10. The smoking article of claim 5, wherein: the at least one functional material consists of the mixture of the malic acid and sucralose; a weight ratio of the mixture of the malic acid and sucralose to the OP ink or the OP auxiliary agent in the tipping paper is in a range of 1:2 to 1:12; and a weight ratio of the malic acid to the sucralose in the tipping paper is in a range of 1:0.006 to 1:1.25.
 11. The smoking article of claim 10, wherein the weight ratio of the malic acid to the sucralose in the tipping paper is in a range of 1:0.1 to 1:0.3.
 12. A smoking article wrapper which is coated with an OP coating solution in which at least one functional material and an OP auxiliary agent which enhances solubility of the at least one functional material are added to an OP ink.
 13. The smoking article wrapper of claim 12, wherein the smoking article wrapper is a smoking article tipping paper which is configured to be wrapped around a smoking article filter portion and at least part of a smoking material portion of a smoking article such that the smoking material portion and the smoking article filter portion are combined.
 14. A method of coating a tipping paper, the method comprising: preparing an OP coating solution in which at least one functional material and an OP auxiliary agent which enhances solubility of the at least one functional material are added to an OP ink; and coating a surface of the tipping paper with the OP coating solution.
 15. The method of claim 14, wherein: the at least one functional material includes a first functional material in the form of powder and a second functional material in the form of oil; and in the preparing of the OP coating solution, the first functional material in the form of powder and the second functional material in the form of oil are sequentially dissolved in the OP coating solution. 